Live plants including trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables are commonly used for decoration and food and placed in various locations. The problem is that different plants require different amounts of water and many locations do not provide sufficient water for many plants. In the past, people have watered their plants as for example by providing irrigation equipment such as sprinklers or merely adding water to their plants as needed. In places, professional water service personnel are employed. As for example in arid climates, trucks are used to water Palm trees and the like. Nevertheless, for those who want to place different types of plants in different areas there is a problem in providing the proper amount of water for each type of plant.
A number of self-watering planters have been developed for household and office plants. Self-watering planters typically include a water reservoir connected to a planter in a way that the planter can draw water from the reservoir as needed by the plant. In this way other water does not need to be added to the plant. In such planters there is no need to add water to the soil because water is automatically drawn from the reservoir into the soil as the soil dries out. The frequency by which the reservoir needs to be replenished is usually far less than the need to water the plant. Accordingly, such planters are particularly desirable for vacations and other periods when an individual is away and cannot water a plant on an as needed basis.
A typical self-watering planter includes a planter portion and a water reservoir integrally formed as a single unit. Flow holes are formed in a base of the planter to permit roots to grow into the water supply portion. In addition, the planter includes an upwardly extending conduit extending from the reservoir to the top of the planter to permit water to be poured into a top opening in the conduit.
A problem associated with self-watering planters in the aforementioned type resides in their cost and a need for planters of many different sizes and shapes. Further, such planters are not believed to be suitable for use with many outdoor plants as for example, shrubs, trees and the like.
An alternative self-watering planter is disclosed in a Whitaker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,282. As disclosed thereto, an automatic soil watering device for potted plants includes an airtight water supply chamber with a discharge into the soil controlled by a hydrophilic probe element followed by a hydrophobic element. The soil watering device also contains an entrapment chamber. Soil air is passed into the water supply chamber to discharge a proportional amount of water into the soil. Water discharge is controlled by means of a well open to the water supply chamber and with a capillary wick exposed to the rise of water in the well and extending into the soil.
A more recent development in self-watering planters is disclosed in a Colovic, U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,156. As disclosed therein, a self watering assembly includes a set of water-permeable flow hole inserts each including a portion of capillary material such as spandex. The flow hole inserts are inserted into a flow hole of the planter for direct contact with soil positioned therein. The flow hole inserts are sized and shaped to securely fit within the flow hole preventing soil from falling out of the flow hole and preventing roots from growing through the flow hole. Additional capillary material, also formed of spandex, couples an interior of a water reservoir to the capillary material of the water-permeable inserts. By using spandex as the capillary material, sufficient capillary flow may be achieved to properly water even medium to large sized plants. By employing water-permeable inserts for insertion into the planter wherein the inserts have capillary material mounted therein, water can be more effectively drawn into the soil of the planter. Also, upon removal of the planter from the water reservoir, the inserts typically remain mounted within the flow holes of the planter such that soil from the planter is prevented from falling out of the planter.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there maybe a need and a commercial market for an improved irrigation system for delivering water from a remote area to an area of soil surrounding the roots of a plant in accordance with the present invention. There should be a demand for such devices because they are applicable for use with non-potted plants and adaptable for plants of different sizes and with different types of soil. Further, it is believed that the devices in accordance with the present invention are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and durable. It is also believed that the devices are resistant to clogging and readily modified for controlling the flow of water.